Originally published: November 22, 2012

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Sitting in the passenger seat of the 2013 BMW 328i xDrive, my wife raised the defining question. She, who knows as much about cars as I do skirts, gently asked: “Is this a diesel?”

All week I had been trying to convince myself BMW’s N20 four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, while quick to respond and plenty fast, was not noticeably less sophisticated than the infamous straight six that BMW fans have come to love and cherish. Yes, I had heard the gurgled idle and gnarled engine note and felt the occasional vibration. But I truly wanted to believe this four cylinder was as good as the six, that my spoiled days from driving too many fancy cars would not cloud my perception of an engine that makes enormous sense.

But then came her question, hanging in the air as though she had just asked if I were sleeping with someone else — my stunned silence and lack of a quick retort not helping matters at all. Sheepishly, I admitted the engine in this sixth-generation BMW was not, as much as it might sound like one, a diesel. It was as though I needed to apologize.

While this engine, the same one found in the X1 and now the 528i too, might have to say sorry for its acoustics — and for not matching the creamy smoothness of the six that is still available in the 335i — the four-cylinder is by no means apologetic when it comes to power. Employing a single, twin-scroll turbocharger, the little 2.0-litre enthusiastically erupts with 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque — 58 lb.-ft. more than the old six-cylinder it replaces, and a second faster than the old engine in sprints to 100 km/h. There’s no lag from the turbo either. Off-the-line acceleration and passing power is impressive, aided by a delightful eight-speed automatic that executes shifts with decisive authority. The other big plus of the direct-injection four-cylinder, of course, is average combined fuel economy of 7.8 L/100 km, according to BMW. While that’s not quite what I achieved over the week, it wasn’t hard to see 6.5 L/100 km in highway cruising.

Part of those efficiency gains come from the start/stop function, now standard on all 3 Series models. It’s a great feature and valuable at long stop lights; but even when the driver shuts the system off, it defaults back on when the ignition is turned off (the dealership has to program it to stay off). The transitions between stop and go can be abrupt and is more noticeable than some other makes.

Perhaps that’s because this engine wants to go fast. Indeed, the joy of driving this $46,200 all-wheel-drive BMW comes not in the mundane day-to-day commute, but the open country road, where the RPMs can be held higher over straight stretches of clear dry road mixed with long bends and an absence of cars. Here is where the 3 reveals it is somewhat of a coyote in a sheep’s coat. Precision steering — a BMW hallmark since the first 3 Series in 1975 — is not compromised now that it’s electric-driven. There’s just the right amount of tug and release with every turn of the leather-wrapped wheel. Sure, the new 3 in the Luxury trim of our test car was designed to keep comfort a priority, but it can still be pushed harder and faster than what seems sensible for a four-door sedan. Braking remains as solid and strong as ever, even if our tester sometimes exhibited an odd pedal feel, with the first millimetre of pedal travel feeling occasionally pinched. The xDrive all-wheel-drive system, however, was imperceptible at all times.

Having undergone a substantial transformation, the new 3 loses nothing in attractiveness. While no heavier, the 328i is indeed longer, and from the sides and rear can easily be mistaken for a 5 Series, so similar are the LED tail lamps and sharp side creases. The most positive gain from the new shape, with its squinty, elongated headlamps and standard Xenon headlamps (but no LED front signals), is the length — increased by some 93 mm overall with a 50 mm longer wheelbase — adding even more lounge space to the rear seats plus additional trunk space. Moving a foot under the bumper can also open the trunk.

Once inside, it’s easy to notice a good selection of materials. Nothing looks or feels cheap. Controls are easy to see and read. It was surprising to not see a backup camera as standard equipment at this price, but the graphic display and sensors in BMW’s Park Distance Control do a good job of revealing obstacles when backing up. (Frankly, I’d prefer the simplicity of a basic camera.) A basic Bluetooth system is standard equipment, and the 328i is prewired for Sirius satellite radio but the actual Sirius tuner costs $450 (yes, it should be all-inclusive or not). The nine-speaker sound system is excellent. Oddly, I could never seem to keep the dual zone climate control at just the right temperature, nor did I feel the eight-way-power driver’s seat travelled high enough for my average frame. The iDrive system that controls everything from audio to navigation, however, is wonderfully crisp, clear and intuitive.

The 328i xDrive comes equipped with some good standard features, but the available options can be lengthy and costly: our tester rang in at $52,950 before a $2,095 destination fee — close to the $54,500 base price of a 528i. While 3 Series models have now been split into three lines — Luxury, Sport and Modern, each getting their own or variations of trim and equipment — the undeniable truth of the 328i is that it remains a driver’s car through and through, even if it sounds like a 335d.